US President Joe Biden is set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping this week at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Lima, Peru, as announced by the White House. This will be their third face-to-face encounter during Biden’s presidency and is expected to be the final one before Biden’s term concludes, according to National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
Biden’s strategy has concentrated on bolstering domestic infrastructure, strengthening international alliances, and enhancing American deterrence. At the same time, the Biden administration has worked to maintain open lines of communication with China to manage rising competition and prevent conflicts between the two nations.
The two leaders had previously met during the 2022 G20 summit in Bali and again at the 2023 APEC summit in California. This upcoming meeting comes at a crucial time as Biden focuses on stabilizing the Indo-Pacific region and managing the growing rivalry with China. It also comes ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump in January.
Biden is scheduled to depart Washington for Lima on Thursday, where he will participate in the APEC summit before heading to Brazil for the G20 meeting. Following the G20 summit, he plans to embark on a tour of the Amazon rainforest, marking an important part of his diplomatic and environmental agenda.
The outcome of this high-level meeting between the two leaders will be closely monitored as it could shape future diplomatic relations between the US and China, with significant implications for global politics and economic stability.
